Robber flies (Insecta: Diptera: Asilidae) of Wyoming, USA with keys to genera and species
Author
Lavigne, Robert J.
Author
Dennis, Steve
text
Zootaxa
2019
2019-08-30
4662
1
1
126
journal article
25823
10.11646/zootaxa.4662.1.1
7070ef91-15db-4b7e-a87d-72e7b0bdb192
1175-5326
3383448
366A1E81-946C-4ED4-8A65-C51151FE87CC
Pogonioefferia pallidula
(Hine)
Erax pallidulus
Hine, 1911a: 309
.
Recognition characters:
Silver and gray species; length
12–20 mm
; mystax white; bristles and setae of mesonotum mostly black, some white posteriorly, postpronotal setae white anteriorly, black posteriorly; meral bristles white; scutellar setae and bristles white; male abdominal segments 3–7 silvery white pollinose with long white setae parted in the middle; legs with femora black, tibiae and tarsi brown. Females of this species are easily separated from those of
staminea
, the former having short white setae both dorsally and ventrally on the apex of the ovipositor while the sides of the ovipositor of the latter appear pitted and the short white setae occurs only ventrally.
Distribution:
BIG HORN: Lovell, WANG, LTA, 2001a. GOSHEN: Smith Ranch, Lingle,
11 July 1963
,
8 July 1964
(
RJL
). LARAMIE: Pine Bluffs,
3 July 1963
(
LJS
). PLATTE: Camp
Guernsey
, WANG, 2001b (
CSU
,
GMAD
); Chugwater,
24 July 1953
(
REP
); Dwyer, numerous records,
9 July–27 Aug.
(
DRT
,
RJL
); Frederick Ranch,
Guernsey
numerous records,
6 July–31 Aug.
(
FRH
,
RJL
);
Guernsey
State Park,
Guernsey
,
13 July 1962
(
RJL
); Oregon Trail Park,
Guernsey
,
29 June-15 July 1972
(
SD
); Register Cliff,
1,981 m
(
6,500 ft
) E of
Guernsey
,
15 July 1964
(
RJL
,
FRH
);
11 km
N of Hartville, on Manville Rd.,
14–19 June 1963
(
RJL
); Loomis Ranch,
13 km
NE of Wheatland,
18 July 1963
(
RJL
). Recorded from Wyoming by:
Dennis & Lavigne (2007)
(as
Efferia pallidula
);
Dennis
et al.
(2009
,
2010
) (as
Efferia pallidula
);
Fisher & Wilcox (1997)
(as
Efferia pallidula
);
Geller-Grimm (2018)
;
Lavigne & Dennis (1994)
(as
Efferia pallidula
); Lavigne &
Holland
[(1969) (as
Efferia pallidula
; as prey of
Pogonioefferia helenae
(as
Efferia helenae
) and
Pogonioefferia staminea
(as
Efferia staminea
)].
Habitat:
Saltbrush-greasewood shrub, and grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass and grama-buffalo grass grassland vegetation
types
. Open rangeland, blue grama grass (
Bouteloua gracilis
(Wild. ex Kunth) Lag. ex Griffiths
) and threadleaf sedge (
Carex filifolia
Nutt.
) communities.
Ethology:
Rests on and forages from soil grass mat and other vegetation (see
Lavigne &
Holland
1969
, as
Efferia pallidula
).
Prey:
The following prey were collected at Oregon Trail Park near
Guernsey
:
DIPTERA
,
Bombyliidae
:
Villa
(
Villa
)
sp.,
30 June 1972
;
HYMENOPTERA
,
Formicidae
:
Formica
sp. (winged reproductive),
15 July 1972
; LEPI- DOPTERA,
Noctuidae
:
Ogdoconta
sp.,
29 June 1972
.
COLEOPTERA
,
DIPTERA
,
HEMIPTERA (Heteroptera, Homoptera)
,
HYMENOPTERA
,
LEPIDOPTERA
, NEUROPTERA,
ORTHOPTERA
(see
Dennis & Lavigne 2007
;
Dennis
et al.
2009
,
2010
;
Lavigne & Dennis 1994
;
Lavigne &
Holland
1969
;
Lavigne & Pfadt 1966
;
Rogers & Lavigne 1972
, all as
Efferia pallidula
).